Waiting
by Furinjuru
Summary: "I promise, we'll be waiting for you the moment you come back." "Thank you." - Mari returns, hoping that nothing has changed. But maybe she does want something to change.
1. Tuesday

**Guess who's back with a new side-chapter? This one's sort of a sequel to "Past Dreams", when Mari finally comes back home!**

"Miss?"

The girl jolts awake at the words; over a year in America had turned into a light sleeper.

"Miss?" The man in front of her asks again.

"I'm awake. Have we reached our destination?" She asks, looking out of the window on her right, and positively _grinning_ when she sees the view. The setting sun casting its reflection in the water, the beach with its pure, white sand, and the seagulls flying in the distance. It's like a scene from a movie, but right in front of her.

"We're almost there." He answers. "Your father asked me to warn you that you may experience jet lag for the first few nights. Your schedule is somewhat free, and all of your responsibilities can be done within the hotel. Your room is ready for use."

"Thank you." She smiles, turning away from the window. "Once we arrive, you're free to rest in any room. If you need anything else, just ask one of the maids."

"You're far too kind."

 _It's the least I can do_ , she thinks to herself. Even if the man was only following orders, he was the one who brought her back home. Offering food and rest is simply common courtesy.

Looking out of the window again, her eyes lock onto a single building. Above one of the few high grounds in the seashore town, a single school that sends a whirlwind of memories rushing to her mind.

From her personal helicopter high above the ground, Ohara Mari smiles.

* * *

"Mari!"

"Dad!" The moment Mari gets out of the helicopter, she runs towards her father, hugging him tightly. "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too, Mari." He laughs, before finally pulling away. Mari only gets a brief amount of time before she's engulfed in another hug from her mother.

"Oh Mari! You've grown so much." She says excitedly, causing Mari to giggle.

"Well, I've been there for a few semesters, of course I'd grow."

"Well, you're right about that." As she pulls away, Mari sees her briefcases being taken by the maids, each offering her a polite greeting before taking the bags into the hotel.

"Your room is still the same after all this time." Her mother explains, the reunited family walking together into their home. "It was a bit dusty, but we've tidied everything up and now it's good as new. It should be nice to be able to sleep in your own bed again."

"But what's the rush?" Mari's father grins. "It's been over a year since we had a family dinner. We have an incredible meal waiting for us. We have lemon meringue pie for dessert, your favorite."

" _Alright!_ " Following her parents into the family dining room, she's ecstatic to find another addition that hadn't been there before. A coffee machine. It was simple, but her experience in instant coffee helps her recognize that it's made by a renowned brand. It might not be as good as homemade, but this will _definitely_ fuel her coffee habit. But today, she hesitates to step towards it. She should get to sleep early tonight.

After all, she'll go hunting for Kanan and Dia tomorrow.

Satisfied, she looks towards the dining table. The large table and many seats are usually far too large for the three of them, so usually they would sit as close as possible.

But when she sits down in her usual seat, and her parents sit _away_ from her, closer to the edge of the table, she can smell something fishy.

(Not the actual fish on the table, of course. That smells amazing.)

She doesn't move to take any of the many spoons, forks, and knives set on the table. She just stares at her parents, wondering what they have planned. Just when she finally lowers her guards and moves to grab a spoon, the doors burst open once more.

"Surprise!" Turning around from her seat, Mari's greeted by the sight of her many relatives. All of them, from her grandparents to her baby cousins are all there, holding a banner that says 'Welcome Home!'

"What do you think?" Her father asks as the rest of her extended family joins in, taking a seat at the massive table. The maids come in with more food for the extra people, and Mari can't help but laugh cheerfully.

"I miss this." She says, letting the soothing atmosphere of home and family overtake her for the first time in a year. Once everyone begins putting food on their respective plates, Mari takes a piece of salmon sushi. Dipping it in soy sauce before putting it in her mouth, she can't help but let out a small moan.

 _As expected, it's better than American sushi!_ Mari continues like that for the rest of the night. Choosing a cup of tea over expensive wine, a skewer of yakitori, and a few cuts of katsu, she was eager to taste the food she had missed during her time in America. But that was just a bonus compared to catching up with her family. Mari hasn't smiled so wide in so long, that by the time dinner ends and some people decide to leave, her cheek muscles kinda hurt.

She walks down the familiar walls of the hotel, which is basically muscle memory at this point. A turn here, go up the elevator there, and walk straight down the hallway until she reaches the room she remembers as her own. Rather than a number, the plate at the door is engraved with the words "Ohara Mari". She fishes out her keycard, the one she kept in her wallet all this time, and swipes. Hearing a beep, she pushes the door forward.

"…I'm home." She says, more to herself than for anyone else who might be eavesdropping. Her luggage has been put into a neat pile near the entrance, but she can bother with unpacking tomorrow. For now, she wants to bask in the feeling of _her_ room. Not some impersonal apartment in a country she doesn't know, but her personal room.

Nothing has changed, but everything has changed. The sofa, the placement of the pillows, even the flowers in the vase, which means that one of the maids must've gotten her new ones that look exactly the same as the last one. The mats, the tiny lamp, the coffee table. Everything is the same as when she left it last year, but now she has a much larger appreciation for the room.

She doesn't want to think right now, of course. There's time to be emotional soon, when she invites Dia and Kanan for a sleepover and cry because _everything is just like when she left._ Just the thought is making her knees a bit weak.

She walks into the bathroom, fills the bathtub with hot water, and just manages to stop herself before she gets in. Even though she's not going to be sharing the bath, she remembers the customs here. She rinses herself in the shower, letting the sweat run down her body. It's a bit warmer, now that the seasons have changed, she thinks to herself. She takes some generic soap and shampoo the hotel provides and washes properly. Mari reminds herself to get something better later.

Once she feels clean, she turns off the shower and goes towards the bathtub, letting out a groan as she submerges herself. She closes her eyes, wanting nothing more but to doze off. Unfortunately, that would be bad for her skin, and she'll catch a cold on top of that.

So she won't fall asleep, she spends her time thinking. And boy, does she have a *lot* to think about. Important questions, such as 'how are Kanan and Dia doing?', 'have Kanan or Dia changed while she was gone', or 'are either of them dating?' fill her mind. And as much as she doesn't want to admit it, she has spent way too much time on that last question. She remembers days in class where she'd just stop and wonder about their love lives. _That_ is embarrassing.

She forces herself to focus on different questions. Such as 'do they have any new hobbies?', 'how many new friends do they have?', 'is Dia single?', 'is Kanan _still_ single?', 'what's Kanan's type?', and 'would Kanan date a blonde girl named Mari Oh-'

 _Woah_. Mari stops that train of thought before it continues. She doesn't want to acknowledge those feelings just yet. Maybe when she's in college she can think about actually falling in love. Then she'll see if her feelings for Kanan are still there.

Then she stops when she realizes she just acknowledged those feelings again. Maybe thinking in the bath wasn't the best idea. After getting out and drying off, she puts on a fresh set of clothes from her dresser (that still fits her, she notes with a small amount of amusement) before jumping into her massive, comfy bed. She can already feel that tonight is going to be the best sleep she's had in a long time. And it'll help her keep her mind off her feelings.

Unfortunately, even in her dreams, those feelings continue to bother her.


	2. Wednesday

Mari's alarm rings at exactly 7 o'clock, waking her up from her embarrassing, romance-filled dream.

She immediately has to suppress the urge to toss the alarm clock at the wall. Because even though her family is wealthy and is more than able to buy as many clocks as she wants, this one is somehow still working after over a year without use. Also, because she has better things to do than smashing innocent clocks to pieces.

After all, today will be her first day at Uranohoshi.

Not _officially_ , of course. Her transfer paperwork, as well as the one giving headmistress privileges to her both state that she starts Monday, but can use her privileges as early as Friday. But why wait that long? The teachers definitely won't mind having her sit in class as long as she doesn't bother the other students.

She can't promise that she won't, but the point still stands that she's going to Uranohoshi today. And nothing will stop her from seeing Kanan and Dia again!

Humming a pop tune she remembers from America, Mari walks towards her dresser and opens it, looking for her uniform. The old, first-year sailor uniform is still there, but the new one she's supposed to have isn't. _Maybe it's in the front lobby?_

She shuts the dresser before moving towards the door. When she opens it, she sees one of the family's maids about to knock. She seems more surprised to see Mari actually there, rather than that she's up early. It might be a few days before the staff gets used to seeing Mari again.

"Miss." She speaks curtly, "if you would please come with me, there's something that requires your attention."

"Hmm? I have time to spare, what's up?" Her speech, too casual from someone of her degree, still has a slight western accent. It's funny; she was made fun of for her Japanese accent in America, and in Japan, her speech is still too English-sounding.

"It's in your study." The maid answers, leading Mari through the halls of her own home. Her specific words manage to pique Mari's interest.

"I don't remember having a study."

"Your father required a new room to accommodate new developments in the Ohara Resorts." She explains, "He'll inform you of the details as soon as possible, but what's important now is that his previous study has been re-purposed. It now belongs to you, and will suit your needs as the new headmistress of Uranohoshi."

" _Oh! How wonderful!_ " She exclaims, wanting to see her new room. Eventually, they arrive in front of a door, with a nameplate stating " _Mari Ohara, UraGirls Headmistress_ " at the front. The maid hands her a key, which she uses to unlock the door and open it wide.

When she sees what's inside, she pales immediately and wishes she can go back to her room.

The room is beautiful, painted white with small paintings lining the wall behind a mahogany desk. It's new; she remembers her dad's desk, and it looked far older than this one. If she were sitting, all it would take is for her to look right to see the majestic ocean of Uchiura fame, along with the beaches and Mt. Fuji.

That's not what makes her pale, oh no. That would be the piles of paper stacked on her desk. _Piles_ , as in multiple.

"Oh," Mari says in a dead tone. "...this is what requires my attention?"

"Yes. I apologize, but it's critical that you fill these immediately." The maid at least seems apologetic. "Welcome back."

Mari rolls her eyes as the maid leaves, and she closes the door. "...I'm home."

Her first order of business is testing out the chair, making sure that it's comfortable. Her second order of business is looking out the window and watching the waves rhythmically hit the shore. Her third one is rearranging the paintings behind her until they look good, even though she won't be looking at them when she's working.

It doesn't take a genius to tell that Mari's 'order of business' is just her buying time until she has to face the mountain of paperwork.

She turns around, staring at the paper as they stare back at her, unflinching. She doesn't mind working, especially if it's for a good cause...

But she _really_ wanted to see Kanan and Dia today. She can feel her heart aching for them (platonically for Dia), but these papers are standing in her way!

However, Mari begins to calculate how long it'll take to go through everything, and squeals in joy when she realizes that if she hurries, she'll be able to catch up with Dia and Kanan just before they leave school. That's more than enough to motivate her to begin working.

The paperwork, luckily, is what she expects. Transfer papers, as well as a contract that ensures that Mari is aware of Uranohoshi's current condition. Understandable. Most people wouldn't consider transferring into a school about to be combined as a good idea.

Once she finishes that, she moves on towards the bulk of the paperwork. Papers detailing the responsibilities held by Uranohoshi's headmistress, her schedule, as well as her rights. She notices that she's not allowed to fire any of the teachers for a year unless she holds an official meeting and discusses it beforehand. The reasoning is sound; it's to prevent her threatening the teachers to give higher grades to her friends. Kanan and Dia don't need help, anyway.

As she moves down the pile, she notices something that catches her eye. Another transfer paperwork, but for another student.

 _...someone else actually chose to transfer this year?_ She thinks, reading the student's data. _Sakurauchi Riko, huh? From Otonokizaka. I wonder why she transferred?_ She flips to the next page, looking for the dotted line telling her where to sign. But when she sees another signature already there, she feels her heart doing somersaults.

 _Student Council President: Matsuura Kanan_

Subconsciously, her finger goes towards the lines of Kanan's signature, gently tracing them. _Her penmanship has gotten really beautiful._ Mari smiles, her mind beginning to drift into a daydream until she focuses again. She signs the document and pushes it to the side.

She forgot that both the headmistress _and_ the student council president had to be notified of any transfers. But even if she did remember, she definitely didn't expect it to be Kanan of all people.

 _So Kanan's the student council president now?_ Mari giggles inwardly.

"Achoo!" Kanan rubs her nose, blushing in embarrassment as Dia stares at her.

"Do you have a cold?"

"Nope." Kanan smiles cheerfully. "Someone must be talking about me. I wouldn't blame them; there's a lot to talk about."

Dia scoffs loudly, clearly trying to aggravate the older girl. "Get off your high horse, Kanan. And I thought it meant someone was thinking about you, not talking?"

"Wrong country, Dia. We're in Japan, not China."

"Ah, I must've gotten my notes about sneezing myths wrong."

Back at the Ohara Hotel, Mari continues working on the paperwork, making a sizable dent in the previous mountain. At this rate, she'll finish in no time!

But...her arm is getting sore. At the table, she sees a phone that connects to the front desk, so she uses it to contact one of the receptionists.

" _Hello, this is Ohara Hotel. How may I help you?_ "

" _Yes, it's Mari. Please bring a drink to my study." She requests._

" _Of course. What drink would you like, Miss?_ "

"A glass of cold water is fine."

" _Right away_."

Mari hangs up, grinning as she stands up from her seat and towards the window. Even here, in a closed room, she feels free, like she can do anything she puts her mind to. Maybe she can use her fully-developed dancing skills to popularize Uranohoshi. Maybe she can use her headmistress powers to expand Uranohoshi a bit more. Maybe she can use her father's connection to throw a massive graduation party.

Maybe she can just be Mari, and confess to Kanan.

Mari proceeds to lightly slap herself at the thought. She'll never be brave enough to do that. She never was.

A knock at the door pulls Mari out of her thoughts. " _Come in!_ " A maid opens the door, carrying a tall glass of water on a tray. "Please put it on the table."

She walks towards the table, placing the glass where there's no paperwork. "Do you need anything else, Miss?"

"Thank you, that'll be all," Mari replies gratefully, watching as the maid closes the door behind her. _Time to get back to work._

Sitting down again, Mari pulls a paperwork from the stack and starts filling it out. It's monotonous, but the prize in front of her keeps pushing her forward. It doesn't stop her from getting frustrated, unfortunately.

"Aaah, why is this so boring?!" Mari exclaims, knocking back a large gulp of water. If coffee gave her the energy she needed in the morning, water was what calmed her down. Cold water was even better.

But when she places the glass back down, she sees something that wasn't there before. A small puddle of water. Some of it was beginning to seep into the paperwork. Mari looks back at the glass previously filled with cold water, and notices water droplets on the outside of it.

 _Of course. It was cold water, Mari._ She scolds herself for forgetting about basic science and condensation, but is able to take some pride in her foresight. Since she took the liberty of separating the finished paperwork, none of them were damaged. Only the ones that were still unfinished and can be reprinted, were ruined. Mari smirks; she wasn't going to let a mistake like that ruin her reunion with her best friends.

She separates the papers that are still dry with the ones that are wet and dials the front desk again.

" _Hello?_ "

"It's Mari again. Can you send someone to my study? I spilled water on some of the paper, and I need them reprinted."

" _Understood. Someone will be with you shortly._ "

When they said shortly, they really meant it. Mari only had to wait a few minutes before someone arrives and takes the wet paperwork back to the front desk. Mari then continues working on the other paperwork, with almost no productivity lost. Who said Mari can't plan for accidents? All she needs is a little motivation.

In the middle of signing one of the papers, she hears a knock on the door. "Come in!"

The person who took the previous paperwork returns, looking slightly guilty. "Miss Mari. I apologize, but our printers are currently malfunctioning." Mari doesn't react to the news, completely stunned.

"...all of them?"

"The few that are still functioning are being overworked. We're currently trying to outsource your request to someone else in Uchiura."

"I understand," Mari says, trying to hide the annoyance in her voice. Looks like her plans were useless after all.

When she leaves, Mari dials front desk again, not bothering to wait for the receptionist to finish her greeting before speaking.

"It's Mari. Can I speak to one of the kitchen staff?"

" _Of course. Please wait a second._ " She hears shouting coming from the other end, before a voice replaces the previous one. " _Hello?_ "

"Someone from kitchen staff brought me a glass of water. I want to know, is the glass expensive?"

" _For everyday use, no fragile items used are of significant value to the Ohara name._ "

" _Good. Was it a gift from someone?"_

" _I don't believe it was._ "

"Does it have any sentimental value?"

" _...no. Why?_ "

"No reason." Mari remains silent for a few seconds, staring at the glass in her hands. "Please bring a broom to my study."

" _...of course. Will that be all, Miss?_ "

"Thank you." She hangs up, continuing to stare. The murderous rage she felt towards her alarm clock is returning with a vengeance, but this is different.

The alarm clock was innocent. It was simply doing its job of waking Mari up. Mari had no right to remain angry at it for too long. But this time...

The glass had no business soaking her paperwork. Its job was to hold water, for fuck's sake! For that sole reason, Mari felt like what she's going to do was justified.

She aims at the wall right in front of her, and throws as hard as she can, enjoying the sound of glass shattering against the wall. She proceeds to sit back down while pretending that never happened. She doesn't even give the maid sweeping glass shards off the floor a second look after she enters, only offering a small 'thank you' when she's about to leave.

Mari has officially lost motivation.

It's not her fault. School is ending in a few more minutes, and there's still no news about how the paperwork is doing. With the current paperwork signed and safely located where nothing bad can happen to it, she has nothing else to do but wait.

It's depressing. She's planned everything from the start. She predicted the worst case scenario and made plans if that were to happen, only for it to fail because the printers were broken. She stands up and walks towards the window, staring out towards the school she's now in charge of.

 _It's not fair_ , Mari thinks to herself. She didn't ask for anything other than to meet Kanan and Dia again. It's a simple, albeit possibly selfish wish, but that's all she asked for. She did her best, but apparently that wasn't enough.

Mari steps away from the window and towards the middle of the room. Before, it had couches and a table for future partners to relax and discuss things with her father, but they've been moved to his new room, leaving the space empty. That's fine by her.

Breathing deeply, Mari begins to move her body. Turning and spinning, jumping and stepping. On their own, the moves are nothing, but together they can create something much more beautiful. After a few minutes of warming up, she stops facing the empty wall.

 _...maybe I can do it now._ She usually does the move with a running start, but even a small one should be fine. She calculates the distance between her and the wall, visualizing every part of the move before going for it. She runs three steps forward before planting her hands on the ground, executing a cartwheel. She doesn't stop when she lands on her feet, instead going for a second one. When she lands with her feet parallel to the wall, she goes for the last part of the move, jumping backward and planting her hands on the ground again.

This time, however, without a clear view of the ground behind her, she overshoots the jump. Her world spins as she lands on her head, and she ends up letting out a wail of pain.

"...miss?" A voice calls out from behind the door. "Are you okay?"

"Not really." She forces out a laugh. Her heart hurts more than her head. "What is it?"

"Your paperwork has been printed." Mari's eyes go wide as she opens the door, grabs the paperwork from the girl's hands while screaming out a 'thank you' before shutting it close and going back to her desk. The stack in front of her seems intimidating at a glance, but she's already finished this many. A few more isn't going to kill her.

She goes through the stack at a steady pace, the sight of the slowly shrinking stack pushing her further and giving her the energy to finish another paper, driving her cycle of determination. Until finally, when Mari goes to grab another paper but feels nothing underneath her fingers, she looks up. The pile has vanished.

Mari places the final sheet of paperwork in the safe spot before rushing out of the door, telling the closest maid that she's heading out. She doesn't even care that it's now raining and she forgot to bring an umbrella. She can think of whether or not she gets a cold later.

With nothing holding her back, Mari runs straight to Uranohoshi in search of her friends.

To say that Mari was disappointed when she arrived would be the understatement of the century. The school was mostly deserted by that time, and even the few students that remained had informed her that both Kanan and Dia have left the school. Some first and second-years who obviously don't know her offer to take her back home since she didn't bring her umbrella, but she refuses.

"...man, what a pain," Mari mutters as she leans against the wall of the main hall of Uranohoshi, soaked from head-to-toe and dripping water onto the floor. Her eyes glaze towards the student council room, hoping that she might see Kanan walk out and accompany her, and that the person the others saw leave was just Kanan's twin.

But Kanan doesn't have a twin, and Mari's still alone.

Once she's given up hope on that, she begins to walk around the familiar halls, leaving a trail of water behind her. Her feet take her to the first-year classroom. It's empty, so after a moment of hesitation Mari steps in.

 _Not much has changed._ It's like the school, just like the town it's in, is stuck in time, unchanging from two years ago. Mari takes her old seat near the window, running her hand across the surface of the table as she lets the memories flood back in.

Mari only leaves after an hour has passed and she's sure that the school is deserted. Mari returns to the hotel drenched in rain and immediately takes a shower, which she forgot to do this morning.

Mari goes to bed that night with a fever. Every time she sneezes, she hopes that it's because Kanan and Dia are thinking of her.


	3. Thursday

Mari wakes up the next morning at 6 o'clock, still sick and still lonely. It would've been fine if she had at least seen her father yesterday, but she didn't see him when she had breakfast.

 _Oh wait,_ she stops to realize, _I didn't have breakfast yesterday. Or lunch. Or dinner._ No wonder she's so hungry today.

When Mari arrives at the dining room, she sees her parent's already seated, looking at her with a concerned look. "Mari," her mother starts, "are you okay?"

"No, I'm sick," Mari replies, sitting down next to them. A maid, seeing her arrive, goes to the kitchen and informs the chefs to begin cooking her breakfast. "And hungry."

"Of course you'd be hungry. You didn't eat anything yesterday. The maids said that you didn't ask for any room service either. You only drank one glass of water." Her father continues, "I understand that you want to work hard for your school, but please try to be careful."

"I know. I'm sorry. I guess I just...forgot. I like working in the new room, thanks for that." Mari laughs, her feelings partially genuine. With nothing else to talk about, the Ohara family falls into a comfortable silence. Her food arrives, and Mari digs in eagerly. Her parents don't question when she asks for seconds and thirds, making up for her forgotten lunch and dinner.

"Are you going to school?" Her father asks, which Mari responds with a nod.

"Have to make sure everything's ready for club day tomorrow." She explains. "It's dumb. If I don't get any privileges until Friday, why do I have to work today?"

"It's good to get used to your job early," Her father says, "so when you officially start working tomorrow, you'll be able to shine even brighter."

"I guess that's true." Finishing her third plate, Mari stands up. "I'm going to take a bath. Excuse me."

Mari returns to her bedroom, before realizing that she forgot to ask about her uniform. She runs back to the main lobby.

"Good morning, Miss." The receptionist greets when she sees Mari running towards her. "Do you need something?"

"Has my uniform arrived?" Mari asks, panting; running from her room to the lobby is exhausting.

"We haven't received any packages for you." She answers simply.

"Thank you." Too tired to run back, Mari just walks back to her room, annoyed. She still has a fever, which makes her even more tired. Like she's going to collapse any minute now.

Inside her room, Mari gets ready for the day. She takes her old uniform but tosses the ribbon; she'll just get the third-year one later. Since she's already bathed last night, she opts for a quick shower this morning, letting the water warm her up.

 _This sucks._ Mari sighs loudly. Being sick isn't how she'd like to spend her second day back home, but apparently, the world hates her. Although she can't blame everything on nature.

 _Stupid._ If only she waited for the rain to let up, or at least asked for someone to drive her to Uranohoshi, or _at least_ brought an umbrella or a raincoat with her.

Maybe the reason she wants everything to stay the same is that she herself hasn't changed. A year in America, and what does she have to show for it? A shiny new certificate, but still the same old Mari just with more English scattered in. Still reckless, still irresponsible, and still nothing without her money.

She leans against the bathroom wall, trying to get over the bout of sickness going through her head.

 _You haven't changed a bit_.

Mari immediately puts on her old uniform when she walks out of the shower. She doesn't think she has anything planned today, but just in case she grabs a pen and stuffs it inside of her pocket. Lastly, she takes an influenza mask from her desk. It wouldn't look good if she got someone else sick today.

Once she has everything, she informs the maid stationed near her room that she'll be going to school. When she gets a nod in return, Mari finally heads out of the hotel, waving to any of the hotel staff she sees. She'd greet them as well if only her throat wasn't so sore.

When she finally steps out, the clean air of Uchiura fills her lungs, making her feel a bit better. She didn't get to enjoy it yesterday thanks to being in a hurry as well as the rain, but now she finally realizes how much she misses this.

Along the walk to school, Mari takes her time, spotting every last detail of the area. The seagulls flying gently over the sea, fishermen returning to shore, and shops opening in preparation for a busy day. Only the latter is a common sight in the bustling cities of America.

Her eyes wander to the beach, with its sparkling sand and calm waves. She remembers someone telling her about the importance of the sea when she was still a little kid and crying her eyes out. _The sea is always here, and it never judges. If you have something to say, the sea will listen to you._ Her early morning thoughts drift back to her mind.

It sounded like a load of crap back then, but she's desperate enough. Mari turns and walks towards the ocean, hearing the crunching of the sand underneath her feet as she stops at the end of the dry area, the waves only barely touching the tips of her shoes.

 _Please let me change_ , she thinks to herself. _Please let me change_ , she repeats the words again and again like some sort of chant. "Please let me change." She mumbles underneath her breath. The sea will hopefully hear that last wish.

Mari's not sure if she should toss a coin into the ocean like some kind of wishing well, but maybe polluting the sea isn't the best way to get her wish granted.

Satisfied for now, Mari begins walking to school again. Mari doesn't notice as she gets closer and closer to Uranohoshi, too focused on her thoughts to really pay attention to her surroundings anymore. However, a voice is all it took for Mari to return to the real world.

"Mari."

She stops in her tracks. Mari focuses on the figures in front of her. Despite being shadowed by the large building behind them, she knows them. She audibly gasps.

"You're late," Dia says in a scolding tone, but she's smiling just a bit. "We've been waiting."

Mari doesn't say anything for a moment. She tries to hold back tears of joy, but when she sees Kanan and Dia's eyes sparkling as well, she doesn't hold anything back. "W-well, of course. I told you I'd be back." She replies, wiping her eyes as discreetly as she can. Which is to say, not at all. None of them mind.

"Come on." Kanan walks into the school complex, holding the gate open for both of her friends. "If you have time, let's all chat a bit."

"I've got time." Mari follows them, the three walking side-by-side as they walk to the student council room.

To fill in the silence, Kanan begins talking. "So, uhh, nothing really changed here." She laughs awkwardly. "Unless maybe...us."

 _I wish that were true for me_. Self-deprecation isn't something Mari usually does, but it's even scarier when she's with her friends. She hides everything with a grin, not that they'd be able to see thanks to her mask. " _Of course!_ You're Miss Student Council President now. You've changed a lot, Kanan!"

"Hey, I've changed too, you know!" Dia turns to face Mari. Mari's eyes immediately go to the dark circles underneath Dia's own, but it doesn't look like something worth mentioning. Mari reaches over and ruffles Dia's perfectly-maintained hair, eliciting a whine from the younger girl.

"I'm sure you have!"

The trio finally reaches the student council room. With her key, Kanan unlocks to the door and pushes it open, allowing them entry. Kanan grabs something from her table, and with both hands presents it to Mari.

In her hands is a brand-new uniform, still folded and with a long, green fabric on top of it. "I got you a new uniform," Kanan explains. "As kind of a...welcome back gift. I noticed that you're still wearing the old one. So how do I say this..." Kanan seems to be at a loss for words, while Dia is doing everything she can to not laugh at her awkwardness. "...welcome back, Mari."

Mari can't help but giggle, carefully taking the gift from Kanan's hands like it's a valuable treasure.

"I'm back."

 **A/N: Mari finally enters the story! After 10 chapters, she's here!**

 **Thanks for everyone who reads this far. I might update OSOT soon, since I'm currently done with school, which means I'll have more time to write.**


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